Hollis, NH- Jim Bender, Republican candidate for US Senate toured the New Hampshire seacoast today making stops in Hampton, Seabrook and Portsmouth to talk to local fishermen who are upset at government regulations that are hurting their business.

“The government has become such a big and intrusive part of everybody’s life, said Bender. “They are over-regulating to the point that they are driving these people out of business.”

Hampton fisherman David Goethel is frustrated by the requirements of reporting back to the government. “There is this fear of inadvertent non compliance, people who are trying to obey an incredibly complex system that they really don’t understand. Goethel says the heavy economic burden is also troublesome. “I am concerned as a taxpayer. This is very expensive. The government put 53 million dollars into installing a system the fishermen don’t want and then they plan on handing these costs off to us.”

"We need to protect the fishermen and the industry that is so vital to New Hampshire," said Jim. "They’ve all got what amounts to an ankle bracelet on their boats. They can’t even leave the dock without punching in three days in advance and getting permission from the government.”